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No, no. My idea of borrowing the Kevlar gloves was a general musing, not an actual, concrete plan. I'm certainly not going to grab her and stuff her into a trap while she is heavily pregnant, that would be mean. And actually, I probably couldn't, in reality, get that close to her. So can we drop that idea please. It's not viable, I won't do it, OK?
No, I am not an award-winning feral cat trapper. Obviously, I don't know every way to catch a feral cat; that is why I posted here. You didn't really provide any novel or useful tips but I can contact the organization near me to see if I can get help (with drop trapping or similar) and maybe hook up with a local crazy cat lady with more experience than me.
Yes, I've tried leaving both ends of the trap open with various good stinky foods in it; she won't go near it. The problem is, she does not feed regularly on my property, as I stated in my OP. I might go months without seeing her, then she'll show up sporadically and usually in the dead of night. Along with about a dozen cats and a possum or raccoon or two. So who knows what I might trap. There is at least one possum that shows up regularly and eats flank to flank with the cats. To be clear, there are at least a dozen cats and a few wild critters who show up after dark to eat. I've tried for quite a while but keep re-trapping the same gullible cats (and one very unhappy possum LOL.)
Although, once she gets her kittens and is nursing she'll be very hungry and eating a lot. So I guess I'm going to have another litter of kittens and will make a concerted effort to trap her then.
No, no. My idea of borrowing the Kevlar gloves was a general musing, not an actual, concrete plan. I'm certainly not going to grab her and stuff her into a trap while she is heavily pregnant, that would be mean. And actually, I probably couldn't, in reality, get that close to her. So can we drop that idea please. It's not viable, I won't do it, OK?
No, I am not an award-winning feral cat trapper. Obviously, I don't know every way to catch a feral cat; that is why I posted here. You didn't really provide any novel or useful tips but I can contact the organization near me to see if I can get help (with drop trapping or similar) and maybe hook up with a local crazy cat lady with more experience than me.
Yes, I've tried leaving both ends of the trap open with various good stinky foods in it; she won't go near it. The problem is, she does not feed regularly on my property, as I stated in my OP. I might go months without seeing her, then she'll show up sporadically and usually in the dead of night. Along with about a dozen cats and a possum or raccoon or two. So who knows what I might trap. There is at least one possum that shows up regularly and eats flank to flank with the cats. To be clear, there are at least a dozen cats and a few wild critters who show up after dark to eat. I've tried for quite a while but keep re-trapping the same gullible cats (and one very unhappy possum LOL.)
Although, once she gets her kittens and is nursing she'll be very hungry and eating a lot. So I guess I'm going to have another litter of kittens and will make a concerted effort to trap her then.
Well, I will be glad to drop it, but I have to respond to this: you say that "You didn't really provide any novel or useful tips". All of the tips you could use are in the comprehensive TNR Neighborhood Cats handbook: That's why I didn't try to give you any "tips": I referenced it to you because it outlines so clearly all the things you can try. Anything any experienced trapper will do with you is in that handbook. (Athough it will be updated this year, 2013.)
I don't use a drop trap myself because I know that it takes a little extra skill and I have not needed to do it - in difficult cases we use a "master trapper" who has a wonderful hand made trap made of wood and with rope around the edges instead of the metal and it is said to be a lot safer for the cat.
Re: "stinky" foods: I have, and also my colleague has, found that tuna, good stinky cat food, sardines, etc. don't seem to do what that Boar's Head turkey can do. Yes, most of the time the cat food, tuna and sardines can do it, but in really difficult cases very fresh turkey cold cuts has been more effective for us in several instances. This I know from experience. Also, I had a feral cat trapped in my basement (loose) and no stinky food did it for a week: As soon as I used the turkey with both ends open for a few days, Voila, he was in and trapped.
Well, I will be glad to drop it, but I have to respond to this: you say that "You didn't really provide any novel or useful tips". All of the tips you could use are in the comprehensive TNR Neighborhood Cats handbook: That's why I didn't try to give you any "tips": I referenced it to you because it outlines so clearly all the things you can try. Anything any experienced trapper will do with you is in that handbook. (Athough it will be updated this year, 2013.)
I don't use a drop trap myself because I know that it takes a little extra skill and I have not needed to do it - in difficult cases we use a "master trapper" who has a wonderful hand made trap made of wood and with rope around the edges instead of the metal and it is said to be a lot safer for the cat.
Re: "stinky" foods: I have, and also my colleague has, found that tuna, good stinky cat food, sardines, etc. don't seem to do what that Boar's Head turkey can do. Yes, most of the time the cat food, tuna and sardines can do it, but in really difficult cases very fresh turkey cold cuts has been more effective for us in several instances. This I know from experience. Also, I had a feral cat trapped in my basement (loose) and no stinky food did it for a week: As soon as I used the turkey with both ends open for a few days, Voila, he was in and trapped.
Thanks and I'll look at the TNR material again; I've read it but it's been quite a while.
Boars Head turkey, huh? Well it would be worth a try because nothing else - from canned cat food to tuna to ham sure haven't worked!
Just curious, what is your take on spaying/aborting a cat with (probably, by now) viable kittens?
Thanks and I'll look at the TNR material again; I've read it but it's been quite a while.
Boars Head turkey, huh? Well it would be worth a try because nothing else - from canned cat food to tuna to ham sure haven't worked!
Just curious, what is your take on spaying/aborting a cat with (probably, by now) viable kittens?
I have access to the NYC Neighborhood Cats staffer for advice and I was writing to her daily at one point when I was so new or stressed doing TNR or related stuff. She used to say to me over and over what was in the handbook on TNR and I just didn't, for some reason, quite pay attention or something. I wanted her to tell me and not have to read the handbook, but when I did, only because she would say, "on page such and such they explain all about what you are asking". So, over time, I grew to respect that handbook a lot more.
But she also coached me so patiently and expertly when Oreo, the feral, got loose in my basement during recovery. He was doing #2 under my husband's heavy metal tool chests!!!! You could not clean it up and it was all over the place. My husband was not a happy camper and I was frantic. The staffer, so experienced, insisted over and over (thank you to her big time!) that I COULD catch this cat and have to just be a believer and patient and do what she says works: She had me feed turkey (or maybe that was my idea, that part) in the middle of the trap, both ends open, don't feed anything else and let him eat it a few days, and include some regular food there if he will eat the turkey. Well, he did eat that turkey right up but refused tuna, sardines, cat food, etc. He loved that turkey (Boar's Head or similar turkey cold cuts, very fresh cut) and would eat it. So, after a week of hell and feces we could not clean up (we got him to use the litter box eventually), one day, bingo, into the trap he went and we had it sprung. (Then he went to my colleague for recuperation of a torn ligament in the knee - he's now cared for by her in the colony. A feral.)
Thanks and I'll look at the TNR material again; I've read it but it's been quite a while.
Boars Head turkey, huh? Well it would be worth a try because nothing else - from canned cat food to tuna to ham sure haven't worked!
Just curious, what is your take on spaying/aborting a cat with (probably, by now) viable kittens?
I wasn't paying enough attention: Here is the thing: There are several ways to trap a difficult to get cat: one is to leave the trap open for days with food inside the middle or end, moving it gradually to the middle, be patient, keep doing it for days if need be and see if she walks inside. I know she comes around only once in a while, though, so you might need to use the drop trap. Of course, keep her hungry, hate to do it but you must. Do you know how to use the drop trap or have someone to help you use it safely? The handbook goes into detail about it but you can make one, too, and they show you how to make it.
A great method is to use the bottle and string method. We got a lot of cats, much easier,with that method. Keep the trap end open with a single plastic filled water bottle, string around it, long string, and just sit there at some distance or even in the seat of a car where she will not think you are going to jump out and get her, but have that string tight in hand and ready to pull as soon as she goes in. Got a lot of cats done this summer that way. It's all in the TNR handbook.
Re: aborting by now viable kittens? Myself, I couldn't do it. Not at that stage.
Martha Anne, thank you. Your last link had some great tips I hadn't thought of.
I will implement some of these once she is nursing and spending more time over here; I saved the page. I have not seen her in about five days so I suspect she may have already had kittens (fingers crossed for a small litter!) and being a good mama, is staying close to her babies.
Which means in 3-5 weeks, she and her kittens will be living 24/7 at my house. Once her kittens are weaned, she disappears again...only to reappear pregnant or with kittens.
Martha Anne, thank you. Your last link had some great tips I hadn't thought of.
I will implement some of these once she is nursing and spending more time over here; I saved the page. I have not seen her in about five days so I suspect she may have already had kittens (fingers crossed for a small litter!) and being a good mama, is staying close to her babies.
Which means in 3-5 weeks, she and her kittens will be living 24/7 at my house. Once her kittens are weaned, she disappears again...only to reappear pregnant or with kittens.
I do hope you are able to trap her this time May you have good wisdom and strength for that possibility!
I've had two very pregnant cats spayed. I didn't like it and I wish I didn't have to do it but it was necessary. There were hundreds of homeless cats in that area and their lives were not good. It was better for the kittens, the mom and the existing cats to terminate the pregnancy. It is the responsible thing to do. It's not fun but if you can get this cat trapped and spayed now I think that's what you should do.
I've had two very pregnant cats spayed. I didn't like it and I wish I didn't have to do it but it was necessary. There were hundreds of homeless cats in that area and their lives were not good. It was better for the kittens, the mom and the existing cats to terminate the pregnancy. It is the responsible thing to do. It's not fun but if you can get this cat trapped and spayed now I think that's what you should do.
I understand. Sometimes there is NO WAY OUT and the kittens will never get a home, never get fed enough, will get sick and injured and then die in the colony. In our general area, I hear about many kittens getting run over by cars and trucks in the spring.
I have never had to face a decision like that. I know that you are doing what you judge, in context of what you are dealing with, is necessary.
Maybe I sound like a flip flopper: I am hopefully not, but only saying we each must judge each situation as it arises.
You sound like a very caring person. Best wishes.
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Obviously, I don't know every way to catch a feral cat; that is why I posted here. You didn't really provide any novel or useful tips but I can contact the organization near me to see if I can get help (with drop trapping or similar) and maybe hook up with a local crazy cat lady with more experience than me. 
